Comparison of analgesia and cardio-pulmonary effects of epidural injection of pethidine and lidocaine in small East African goats

Abstract

Analgesic and cardiopulmonary effects of epidural injections of 2% lidocaine (4mg/kg, n=6) and pethidine (2.5mg/kg, n=6) were compared in healthy goats weighing 18-25 kg. All drugs were injected at lumbosacral epidural space. Mean heart rate, respiration rate, rectal temperature, analgesia effect (response to pinprick stimuli), sedation and motor incoordination were determined. Results were recorded before and at various times (every 5 minutes for the first 10 minutes and every 10 minutes upto 2 hrs) after the epidural injection. Onset of analgesia was after 5 minutes following injection of either lidocaine or pethidine. Duration of analgesia was over 120 minutes and 60 minutes after epidural injection of lidocaine and pethidine respectively. Hind limb paralysis was observed in goats that received lidocaine while only mild incoordination was observed in pethidine treated goats except for one goat that remained recumbent for the entire observation period. Significant increase in body temperature was recorded in 10 minutes after pethidine injection but did not change following lidocaine injection. There was no significant change in heart rate following epidural injection of lidocaine but significantly decreased following pethidine injection. Respiration rate significantly increased in lidocaine group but did not change in pethidine treated goats. Results of this study indicate that epidural injection of pethidine at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg produce analgesia of a shorter duration compared to lidocaine, but is sufficient and safe for short duration surgeries of the perineal region in goats.